The invention relates to a mobile measurement system and to a method of operation for such a measurement system. The invention also relates to a computer program product for controlling the method of operation.
Laser rangefinders are used extensively today by craftsmen, architects and engineers for recording measurements. In this case, the measurements are taken in situ, i.e. on the respective building site, and are usually noted in handwriting. These notes are then input manually into a piece of office software, for example in order to produce calculations, construction drawings or tenders.
For a few years, laser rangefinders having a relatively large memory and extended processor power are available in which it is possible to store the data in situ, without handwritten notes, in the appliance itself. A significant drawback of such appliances is the fact that the recorded measured values need to be allocated using very complicated text input, and the stored volumes of data are not very clear on the available displays on the laser rangefinder.
Equally, laser rangefinders are known which have a cable interface allowing the values stored in the measuring appliance to be read out directly in situ or subsequently, for example in the office using a PC.
In this context, it has since also become possible, by way of example, to use a mobile PC connected to the laser rangefinder by means of a cable to transfer the measured values to a file on the PC actually in situ.
A drawback of such appliances from the prior art besides the use of cables for data transmission, which entails a risk of loss or—particularly in the building site environment—the risk of cable breakage, is the fact that firstly very expensive laser rangefinders and secondly correspondingly expensive, portable PCs are needed which are in turn used only as a storage medium.
DE 100 63 483 A1 discloses a laser rangefinder having a laser measurement unit and a memory element for storing the measured data which has one or more interfaces for transmitting data from a computer and/or for transmitting the ascertained data to a computer. In particular, the interface for the laser rangefinder from DE 100 63 483 A1 is in the form of an infrared interface or, in an alternative embodiment, in the form of an RS interface.
It is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and mobile measurement system which additionally assures ease of use for the user.